Despite a talented roster and a weak division, contract drama and coaching uncertainty keep Tampa Bay stuck in the NFL's middle tier of teams.
After months of hard work and anticipation, the NFL regular season is finally about to begin,
The calendar has flipped to September. The preseason is over. The 53-man roster and practice squad, which includes a very familiar face, are basically set.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had an incredibly eventful offseason. The team signed several high-profile free agents and then drafted a stellar class of rookies, including Defensive Rookie of the Year favorite Rueben Bain Jr., who has become the Bucs' most anticipated rookie in years.
Unfortunately, the excitement of all the new faces was soon overshadowed by contentious contract standoffs between the team and quarterback Baker Mayfield and defensive tackle Vita Vea. While Vea and the Bucs eventually reached a deal, Mayfield remains unsigned after this season and has an uncertain future with the club.
Tampa is one of the most difficult NFL teams to project this year. The Bucs have a talented roster and play in the weak NFC South division, which is normally a solid recipe for success.
However, the internal distractions, combined with last season's collapse and Todd Bowles starting the season on the hot seat, have made it hard to feel confident in the Bucs.
Tampa has found itself consistently ranked in the bottom half of teams in NFL power rankings. That trend continued on Monday, when ESPN placed the Buccaneers 18th in its final set of preseason power rankings.
Bucs Have Potential. Will They Prove It?
Being the favorite in your division while still only ranked 18th out of 32 teams is a sign that the Bucs have potential, but they must prove themselves before anyone feels confident in them.
ESPN's rankings focused on an attainable milestone each team can reach this season rather than giving any explanation of why each team is ranked where they are.
For the Bucs, Jenna Laine talked about the possibility of Bowles passing John McKay for the third most wins by a head coach in team history.
"With 10 regular-season wins, Bowles can pass Buccaneers Ring of Honor member McKay, who had 44 wins from 1976 to 1984. Bowles would still trail Jon Gruden (57) and Tony Dungy (54), but he could move to No. 1 if he stays until the end of his contract in 2028. Bowles already became the first coach in franchise history to begin his stint with three consecutive playoff appearances and three consecutive division titles (2022, 2023, 2024). However, last season tied 2022 for Bowles' lowest number of wins in charge of the Bucs (eight). -- Jenna Laine"
If Bowles wants to pass McKay, his team must start the season strong. If the Bucs struggle out of the gate, Bowles' tenure in Tampa may come to an early end.
However, if they do get off to a fast start, the Bucs are talented enough to reach the 10 wins Bowles needs to move up the list.
Final Thoughts
With less than two weeks before the regular season begins, the Bucs still have a wide range of potential outcomes for their season.
If they play to their talent level, which they weren't able to do last year, the Bucs should regain their spot atop the NFC South.
If they don't, 2026 could be another disappointing season that ends without a trip to the playoffs. If Tampa has a second straight year without a playoff birth, Bowles is likely gone and the team will start to make other significant changes.
Personally, I believe the Bucs will have a successful year. Mayfield plays his best when he feels like he has something to prove, and he will have an enormous chip on his shoulder after feeling "disrespected" and "undervalued" by the organization.
